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Agriculture

The widespread use of antibiotics can cause the development of new, resistant strains of bacteria which reduce how effectively the drugs can treat disease. Image Credit: Shutterstock/Catalin Petolea
health | agriculture
20 August 2015

Creating a bacteria-free slaughterhouse - thanks to an e-learning course

Researchers may have figured out how to reduce the risk of becoming ill from eating chicken, and the answer is surprisingly simple. After trying without success to eliminate risky bacteria by vaccinating poultry or using viruses to kill bacteria, they have now launched an e-learning programme to prevent bacteria being carried into the slaughterhouse.

Biological toxins, viruses and bacteria pose a very real threat to our safety. Image credit: PLANTFOODSEC
agriculture | health
23 July 2015

Fighting bioterrorism – Europe works on master plan

Specialist laboratories capable of detecting biological weapons are coming together to try to work on a master plan so that Europe is ready in the case of a bioterrorist attack.

Having a bioeconomy is one of the best ways to provide the world with enough food, materials, chemicals and energy, says Prof. Erik Mathijs.
expo milano | agriculture | interview
19 June 2015

Sustainable food, materials, and energy will flow from a technology-driven bioeconomy - Professor Erik Mathijs

A strong bioeconomy, which uses technology to maximise the use of renewable resources, is the best way to ensure the sustainable production of food, materials, chemicals, and energy, according to Professor Erik Mathijs, chair of the foresight expert group for the Standing Committee on Agricultural Research, which presented its fourth foresight report at Expo Milano on 19 June.

While numerous agricultural tasks have already been automated, the vast majority of harvesting in greenhouses is still done by hand. Image: CROPS project
agriculture
28 May 2015

World’s first pepper-picking robot heralds new era

The first robot capable of selecting and picking ripe sweet peppers is helping clear the way for a new era of agricultural robots that would change how farming in Europe is done.

Rising sea temperatures and acidity levels can increase the level of contaminants in seafood. Image: Shutterstock/lupu robert ciprian
health | agriculture
26 May 2015

Warming oceans, floods and drought – protecting food from climate change

Extreme weather and a changing climate are presenting new threats to the safety of our fish, seafood and vegetables, according to European scientists who are working out how to keep our food safe to eat.

Traditional African foods such as akpan, a yoghurt-like product prepared from partially fermented cooked maize gruel, have been adapted so they can be sold on the international market. Image credit MESTRES
agriculture
18 May 2015

Maize yoghurt and monkey bread – African foods coming to a supermarket near you

A world of exotic new foods enjoyed for centuries across Africa may soon be available in European supermarkets thanks to a research project spanning 11 countries on both continents.

Prof. Swinnen says access to good quality nutritious food is necessary for food security. Image: Shutterstock/Adisa
health | agriculture
06 May 2015

Inequality, not unavailability, is the main driver of food insecurity - Prof. Johan Swinnen

The inability to access nutritious food due to poverty is the main reason people face food insecurity, an issue that affects people within the EU as well as in developing countries, according to Prof. Johan Swinnen, who is on the project management team of the EU-funded FOODSECURE project and sits on the EU scientific steering committee for Expo Milano.

Crowdsourced information on land cover can be used to make decisions in the areas of agriculture, health, and environmental management. Image: Shutterstock/Maciej Czekajewski
agriculture | ict
10 April 2015

Crowdsourcing in the developing world is helping understand the earth

Land-use information at the level of individual fields and forests is often scarce in developing countries and remote areas, but that could be changing thanks to the explosion of mobile phone ownership.

Prof. Caroline Dean believes that women can hesitate a tiny bit longer than men when asking themselves if they are good enough to run a laboratory.
women in science | agriculture
18 February 2015

Positive role models are key to gender equality - Prof. Caroline Dean

Female role models are an important way to promote gender equality among senior scientists, according to Professor Caroline Dean, a plant biologist at the John Innes Centre, in Norwich, UK. Prof. Dean is the winner of the 2015 European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) and Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS) Women in Science Award for her work in plant biology and working to promote women in science.

Cryopreservation aims to prevent the formation of ice crystals in the freezing process and prevent damage to cell walls. Image: Wikimedia Commons, Marrabbio2
agriculture
27 October 2014

The antifreeze fish teaching us about cryopreservation

Cryopreservation, in which organic material is stored at extremely low temperatures, may not yet have reached the science fiction dream of placing people in suspended animation, but technology inspired by hard-to-freeze fish is helping make it an effective way of preserving genetic plant material for future use.

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